Rosy Boa

Lichanura trivirgata

One of the smallest boas, a calm, striped desert snake of Southern California, Arizona and Mexico.

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About the Rosy Boa

Rosy boas are 17 inches to 3.5 feet long, among the smallest boas, but heavy-bodied. They usually have three stripes, black, brown, red, orange or rose-colored, on a pale gray or cream body, and cat-like pupils. They live in deserts, scrubland and chaparral of California, southwestern Arizona and northwestern Mexico. They eat mostly mice, rats and baby rabbits, plus birds, bats, lizards and other snakes.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Lichanura trivirgata^[1]
Size: 17 inches to 3.5 feet long.^[1]
Lifespan: 15 to 30 years.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Mostly mice, rats and baby rabbits, plus birds, bats, lizards and snakes.^[1]
Habitat: Deserts, scrubland, brushland and chaparral.^[1]
Where it lives: Southern California, southwestern Arizona and northwestern Mexico.^[1]
Babies: 3 to 8 young.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).^[2]

Fun facts

Rosy boas can eat prey more than twice the size of their heads.^[1]
They smell with their tongues.^[1]
Some rosy boas have no stripes at all.^[1]

Vocabulary

constrictor: A snake that kills prey by wrapping around it and squeezing.
Jacobson's organ: A sense organ in the roof of the mouth that helps snakes smell.
chaparral: Dry land covered with dense, shrubby plants.
subspecies: A group within a species that lives in a certain area and looks a little different from other groups.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Oakland ZooOakland, California · Animal AmbassadorsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Oakland Zoo. “Rosy Boa.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/rosy-boa/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Lichanura trivirgata (Rosy Boa).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/91864513/18977981 (accessed 2026-10-02)